A multi-function control device for a motor vehicle, in particular for the purpose of operating function groups such as navigation or radio, and for informing the driver during the ride is described in German Published Patent Application No. 10 2005 011 094, for example. This multi-function control device includes an operating unit as well as a display unit to display the desired information, and several functions can be displayed on the display unit simultaneously, e.g., the engine speed, the velocity, and the map of a navigation system. In addition, the information system includes a telephone function as well as a radio and multi-media function. A plurality of basic functions can be active simultaneously, e.g., an activated radio receiver and an activated navigation system, but only one function of these two activated functions is displayed on the display unit. If the driver then wants to select a new radio station, the function group “radio” will be activated by suitable input and shown on the display unit. In other words, when accessing a new function group, the display of the active, current function group is left, and the system moves the new function group into the foreground and displays it on the display unit, while the other active function group is moved to the background and not displayed.
In addition, in certain conventional multi-function control devices, the navigation system includes radio, multimedia and telephone functions in addition to the actual navigation function, using GPS, for example. The main function is selected via function-specific operating elements; in this case, as well, a change from the navigation function to the telephone function means leaving the navigation function.
Access to all functions is likewise possible only within the active menu structure of the selected function group, and a separate, additional operating element whose function assignment cannot be changed is provided for special functions, e.g., volume control for the radio playback.